Starting mechanism



p 1957 J. M. HISLE STARTING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1953 I INVENTOR. (JAMES M. HISLE United States Patent STARTING NIECHANISM James M. Hisle, Lexington, Ky., assignor to Vis nnatic Timer Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 15, 1953, Serial No. 361,521

4 Claims. (Cl. 317-130) This invention relates to a timing mechanism and more particularly to a device for starting timing mechanism at the start of a race in which contestants are preceded by a starting gate.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which automatically starts a timer in response to a contestant crossing a starting line after the starting gate has crossed the line ahead of contestants.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for starting a timer which device is inefiective for starting the timer until after the starting gate has crossed the starting line.

A further object of this invention is to provide a photoelectrically controlled device which cocks or pre-sets a timer starting relay when a light beam is broken and then restored as the starting gate crosses the starting line so that, when the light beam is broken for a second time by the first contestant crossing the starting line, the timer starting relay is energized to start the timer.

From the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing, the above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which it pertains.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a schematic view of a circuit and apparatus of a timing mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing a starting gate, light beam, and contestant at the starting line.

In the following description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts. In the drawings, a ground is shown by a conventional sign and a source of alternating electrical potential is shown by a plus and minus sign. A circuit is complete if it has a plus and minus sign at one end and a ground at the other end.

The timer illustrated herein is adapted for use in timing a so-called harness race, on either one-half mile, mile, or longer tracks. The particular features of the timer relate to the mechanism that functions at the start of a race.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, the starting line is indicated at S, the quarter mile at Q, and the finish line at F. At each of these points a light source is indicated by a numeral accompanied by the appropriate letter on one side of the track and a photo-electric cell is indicated by a numeral 12 accompanied by the appropriate letter at the opposite side. The light beam from each light source is directed across the track to the associated photocell at such a height above the ground that the light beams are interrupted by horses on the track.

As shown in Fig. 2, the light beam from lamp 108 at the starting line is placed at such a height that it is broken by the starting gate 14 and also may be broken by a horse '17. The other beams may be placed at a similar level.

In Figure 1, photocells are shown at the starting sec tion of the track, at the quarter mile and at the finish 2,787,738 Patented Apr. 2, 1957 ICC line, other fractional stations along the track being omitted.

In Figure l a race track is indicated at 16. The track may be a continuous track on which harness races are run as indicated by horses 17 and sulkies 18 at the start of a race, the horses and sulkies being preceded along the track by the starting gate 14. The starting gate 14 crosses the starting line S ahead of the sulkies and horses. The start of the race occurs when the first horse crosses the starting line S after the starting gate has crossed the line S. The start of a race is recorded by photocell 128. The beam of light to cell 128 is a modulated beam. A shutter member 18a rotates between lamp 108 and cell 128. The shutter member is rotated on its pivot 18b by appropriate mechanism (not shown). The shutter member contains a plurality of openings (Fig. 2) which are equally spaced from pivot 18b and through which the light is projected so that the light received by the cell 125 is modulated.

Cell 123 is connected to the grid of tube 19 through a cell resistor 19a, a condenser 19b, appropriate amplifying apparatus (not shown in detail) and a rectifier 19d. The grid of tube 19 is biased to prevent conducting in the tube as long as the light beam at the line S is uninterrupted. However, when the starting gate enters the light beam at the starting line S, the bias on the grid of tube 19 is removed and the tube 19 conducts.

The electronic tube 19 is connected to photocell controlled relays 21 and 22. As shown, the solenoid 23 of relay 21 is connected to the plate of tube 19 in series with contacts 24 of the relay 22. When the gate 14 enters the light beam S at the starting line the bias of the grid of tube 19 is removed and the tube 19 conducts so that solenoid 23 is energized to energize relay 21. The relay 21 is provided with a mechanical latch 26 which holds the relay 21 latched until the latch is released. When the relay 21 is energized, a movable contact 27 thereof engages a stationary contact 28 to supply power to the solenoid 29 of a pre-setting latch-type relay 31 to cause the relay 31 to close. In addition, a movable contact 32 of relay 21 engages a stationary contact 33 to connect the solenoid 34 of relay 22 to the plate of electronic tube 19. However, the relay 22 is not immediately energized because the solenoid thereof is grounded. However, when the light beam at the starting line S is restored after the gate 14 leaves the light beam S, the grid of tube 1) is again biased so that the plate voltage rises and a higher voltage is supplied to the solenoid 34 of relay 22, causing the relay 22 to be energized.

Contacts 38 and 37 of the relay 22 are make before break contacts so that power is supplied to the solenoid 34 before the movable contact 38 moves. The contacts 36-38 form a hold-in circuit holding the relay 22 in energized position. As indicated, contact 36 is connected to contact 28 of relay 21, and, so long as relay 21 is latched, the solenoid 34 remains energized by a circuit including contacts 27 -28 of relay 21, a lead 38 and contacts 36-38 of relay 22.

Contacts 39 and 40 of the relay 22 serve to energize the solenoid 42 of a second latch type pre-setting relay 43 which closes and is latched when the starting gate finishes crossing the starting line S. The circuit for energizing solenoid 42 includes contacts 39 and 40, a lead 43' and the contacts of the first pre-setting relay 31. The relay 43 energizes a lamp 44 to indicate that the circuit is pre-set so that the next time the light beam at the starting line Sis interrupted, timers 46 and 47 will be started,

Contacts 47a and 47b of relay 22 close to connect one side of a release solenoid 470 of relay 21 through leads 47e and 38' and contacts 27 and 28 to a source of potential. The other side of release solenoid 470 is connected through a lead 47c to the plate of tube 19.

When the first horse 17 interrupts the light beam, the bias is again removed from electronic tube 19 causmg the tube 19 to conduct whereby the release solenoid 47c of relay 21 is energized. Energization of release solenoid 47c releases the contacts of relay 21 so that the c'on tacts can return to the position shown in Fig. l. Movable contact 27 of relay 21 engages stationary contact 48, to form a circuit through contacts and 51 of the second pre-setting relay 43, to the solenoid 5.3 or a latch type starting relay 54. When solenoid 53 i energized, the starting relay 54- is actuated to close contacts 56 and 57 which supply power to the timers 46 and 47 to start the timers.

As the race progresses, the starting gate 14 draws ahead of the horses and leaves the track through a side opening 58, and the horses and sulkies proceed along the track to the quarter mile line Q.

When the first horse reaches the line Q, the beam to photocell iZQ is interrupted, Photocell 12Q is connected through appropriate amplifying apparatus 59, not shown in detail, to the solenoid 61 of a quarter mile timing relay 62. When the beam to the photocell 12Q is interrupted, power to the solenoid 61 is removed and the contacts 63 and 64 of relay 62 engage to supply power to the solenoid of a quarter mile timer arresting relay 66 to energize the solenoid 67 thereof. When solenoid 67 is energized, the contacts 68 and 69 of relay 66 open to stop the timer 46, whereby the timer 46 indicates the time required for the first quarter mile of the race.

At the same time, contacts 71 and 72 of relay 66 close and are latched shut to complete a circuit from a finish timing relay 73 through contacts 71' and 72 to the solenoid 74 of a finish timer arresting relay 76.

When the first horse reaches the finish line F, the light beam to photocell 12F is interrupted. The photocell 12F is connected to solenoid 73 through appropriate amplifying apparatus 79 (not shown in detail), and, when the light beam to the cell 12F is interrupted, the solenoid 73 is de-energized to permit the contacts of relay 73 to close, causing energization of solenoid 74. When solenoid 74 is energized, the contacts 89 and 81 of relay 76 open and are latched open to open the circuit to timer 47, whereby timer 47 is stopped to register the time for the entire race.

Inadvertent stopping of timer 46 before a horse reaches the quarter mile line Q, may be prevented by opening a switch 81. Similarly, inadvertent stopping of timer 47 before a horse reaches the finish line F may be prevented by opening a switch 82.

The timing mechanism illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Electrical apparatus for starting a timer for a barness race employing a starting gate which is propelled past the starting line in advance of contesting horses which comprises a timer-starting relay, means for projecting a beam of light across the track at the starting line, a photocell mounted in the path of said beam for receiving the light beam, means for connecting the timer starting relay to the photocell to actuate the timer starting relay when the first horse breaks the beam of light as the first horse crosse the starting line, and means for disabling the connecting means until the light beam has been broken and restored as the gate crosses the starting line, whereby the timer starting relay is actuated when the first horse enters the beam after the gate has crossed the beam.

2. Electrical apparatus for starting a timer at the start of a race in response to the leading contestant crossing a starting line after a starting gate has crossed the starting line ahead of contestants, which comprises a timer starting relay, means for projecting a light beam across the track at the starting line, a photocell mounted in the path of said beam for receiving said beam, a first photocell controlled relay means connected to the photocell and arranged to be energized when the light beam is interrupted, a first pre-s'etting relay connected to the contacts of the first photocell controlled relay means to be energized thereby, whereby the first pr'e-setting relay is energized when the light beam is interrupted by the starting gate, a second photocell controlled relay means connected to the photocell and arranged to be energized when the light beam is restored, a second pre-setting relay connected to the contacts of the second photocell controlled relay means in series with the first presetting relay, whereby the second pre-setting relay is energized when the light beam is restored when the starting gate has finished crossing the starting line, a third photocell controlled relay means connected to the photocell to be energized when the light beam is broken a second time, and means connecting the timer starting relay to the third photocell controlled relay means in series with the contacts of the second pro-setting relay, whereby the timer starting relay is energized when the first contestant enters the light beam after the starting gate has crossed the starting line.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, characterized by the fact that the pre-setting relays are latch-type relays.

4. Electrical apparatus for starting a timing circuit at the start of a race in response to the leading contestant crossing a starting line after a starting gate has crossed the starting line ahead of contestants, which comprises a timer starting relay, means for projecting a light beam across the track at the starting line, a photocell mounted in the path of said beam for receiving said light beam, 8. photocell controlled hold-in type relay means connected to the photocell and arranged to be energized when the light beam is interrupted, said relay means having normally open contacts and normally closed contacts, a hold-in type first pre-setting relay connected to the normally open contacts, whereby the first pre-setting relay is energized when the light beam is interrupted by the gate, another photocell controlled hold-in type relay means connected to the photocell in series with normally open contacts of the first mentioned photocell controlled relay means and arranged to be energized when the light beam is restored, a second hold-in type pro-setting relay connected to normally open contacts of the second mentioned photocell controlled relay means in series with the contacts of the first mentioned pre-setting relay, whereby the second pre-setting relay is energized when the light beam is restored when the starting gate has finished crossing the starting line, a release coil for the first mentioned photocell controlled relay means connected to the photocell in series with normally open contacts of the second photocell controlled relay means, and arranged to be energized when the light beam is interrupted after the second photocell controlled relay means is energized, and means connecting the timer starting relay to normally closed contacts of the first mentioned photocell controlled relay means in series with the contacts of the second pro-setting relay, whereby the timer starting relay is energized when the first contestant enters the light beam after the starting gate has crossed the starting line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,494,435 Freeman Ian. 10,- 1950 2,547,332 Loveless Apr. 3, 1951 2,612,948 Malott et al. Oct. 7, 19'52 

